Santa Fe, N.M.—May 22, 2015—Santa Fe University of Art and Design (SFUAD) student award-winning design book, The Importance Of…, was recently recognizedby Print magazine staff as one of their top 15 favorite book covers and book designs from Print’s 2014 National Regional Design Annual (RDA) Competition. Print magazine revisited 15 of its favorite tomes from the 2014 RDA, where The Importance Of… was the only student project listed along 14 other professional works, including one from international, London-based design firm Pentagram.

The Importance Of…was designed by the SFUAD student collective, Hexagono. Produced by Graphic Design faculty member David Grey and created by SFUAD international students Rebecca Alvarez-Alcocer, Pablo Byrne, Suzelle Camou, Marco Lukini and Ana Caro Villa, the book reflects the students’ graphic design–related experiences during a university-sponsored 23-day trip to Mexico in summer 2012. The Hexagono students have since graduated from SFUAD.

“The project was way ahead of its time and a very important aspect of the future of education,” said David Grey, faculty in the SFUAD Graphic Design Department. “It does not surprise me that almost three years later, we are still receiving recognition for the inventive sophisticated work our students are producing.”

The Regional Design Annual is the industry’s most prestigious and well-respected regional American design competition. SFUAD had three winning submissions for the Southwest Region in 2014 and the only work recognized last year from New Mexico.

Founded in 1940, Print seeks to build a dialogue about design by detailing the intersections of art and culture. The experts who write for Print cover the why of design—why the world of design looks the way it does, how it has evolved, and why the way it looks matters. Print has won five National Magazine Awards, the industry’s highest honor. Its editors work alongside those of Print’s sister publication, HOW, which serves as a flagship advocate for the industry, its practitioners and design’s vital role within business environments. The two brands work in chorus to produce award-winning content and life-changing events, such as HOW Design Live.

About SFUAD’s Graphic Design Department

The Graphic Design Department at Santa Fe University of Art and Design examines the dual nature of graphic design: as a vehicle for contemplative art and a specialized profession. Students learn the digital tools, craftsmanship, history and theory they need to embark on a successful career path as a graphic designer. They also have the opportunity to study the latest creative technologies at Media Design School in Auckland, New Zealand—an international hotspot for digital production—or to study for one year as an upperclassman at the leading design academy NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti Milano) in Milan, Italy. After completing their studies in Milan, a world capital of design, students receive a dual degree: a Bachelor of Fine Arts from SFUAD and a Bachelor of Arts from NABA.